Webb Telescope Reveals Planetary Nebula With Phenomenal Clarity

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Webb Telescope Reveals Planetary Nebula With Phenomenal Clarity — And It Is Spectacular (Maria)

The author writes, “The Helix Nebula is one of the most well-known and  photographed planetary nebulae because it resembles the ‘Eye of Sauron.’ It is also one of the closest to Earth. … Near the end of their lives, these stars shed large amounts of gas in an expanding shell that put on a grand show. The James Webb Space Telescope recently turned its sights on the Helix Nebula — and does it have a story to tell. NASA released new images Tuesday.”

Canada Warns That Trump’s America Is Causing “Rupture” in World Order (Sean)

From The New Republic: “Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is warning that the global order is in the middle of a ‘rupture.’ Carney made the remarks at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Tuesday, and without mentioning Donald Trump by name, declared that America’s policies were exposing the flaws in the financial system and causing it to fail.”

House Panel Approves Clinton Contempt of Congress Resolutions With Help From Democrats (DonkeyHotey)

From The Hill: “The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee advanced resolutions Wednesday to hold former President Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in contempt of Congress over their refusal to appear for depositions after being subpoenaed in the panel’s investigation into sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The panel voted 34-8 to advance the resolution holding Bill Clinton in contempt and 28-15 on the measure holding Hillary Clinton in contempt. Nine Democrats voted in favor of the Bill Clinton resolution. … Three voted in favor of the Hillary Clinton measure.”

Why Greenland Matters for a Warming World (Laura)

The author writes, “What happens in Greenland doesn’t stay in Greenland. Turns out, the fate of the world’s largest island has outsize importance for billions of people on the planet. That’s because of the one thing that Greenland is quickly losing: ice. Most of Greenland’s landmass, which takes up about two million square kilometers in all, or nearly 840,000 square miles, is covered in ice. That ice is melting rapidly because the polar regions of the world are warming rapidly, with wide-ranging consequences for the stability of the Earth’s climate. Blame the burning of coal, oil, and gas. Their emissions have driven up global temperatures, most strikingly in the Arctic, which is warming at least twice as fast as the rest of the planet.”

Newsom Tells World Leaders Their Response to Trump Is ‘Pathetic’ (Reader Steve)

The author writes, “Gov. Gavin Newsom had a stark message Monday for European leaders: “Stand tall and grow a spine,” he said, as they deal with President Donald Trump’s threats to take over Greenland. ‘It’s time to buck up, it’s time to get serious and stop being complicit,’ he told reporters. ‘It’s time to stand tall and firm, have a backbone.’ … Newsom is viewed as a leading 2028 candidate for president, and has been a leading national critic of Trump. Asked to elaborate on what standing tall means by reporters in Davos, Newsom said ‘I can’t take this complicity. People rolling over. I should have brought knee pads for all the world leaders. I mean handing out crowns…this is pathetic. Nobel prizes being given away, this is pathetic.’”

Rising Temperatures Are Slowing Early Childhood Development (Mili)

The author writes, “Researchers discovered that unusually high temperatures can hinder early childhood development. Children living in hotter conditions were less likely to reach key learning milestones, especially in reading and basic math skills. Those facing economic hardship or limited resources were hit the hardest. The study underscores how climate change may shape children’s learning long before they reach school age.”

Back-Scratching Bovine Leads Scientists To Reassess Intelligence of Cows (Dana)

From The Guardian: “Scientists have been forced to rethink the intelligence of cattle after an Austrian cow named Veronika displayed an impressive — and until now undocumented — knack for tool use. Witgar Wiegele, an organic farmer and baker from a small town in Carinthia near the Italian border, keeps Veronika as a pet and noticed that she occasionally played with sticks and used them to scratch her body. … Word soon got around and before long a video clip of the cow’s behaviour reached biologists in Vienna who specialise in animal intelligence. They immediately grasped the importance of the footage.”